The concept of using container encircling bands to secure a handle member to a container is well known. For example, Canadian Pat. No. 779,796 issued Mar. 5, 1968 to Song discloses an arrangement that provides a bale handle for a container having an upper rim. The encircling band fits snugly around the body of the container and abutts with the bottom edge of the rim when the container is carried by the strap type handle extending from the band. This device has a pair of reverse folds, positioned one adjacent each end of the bale handle at its connection to the band, that tend to hold the bale handle substantially in the plane of the encircling band until the bale is first lifted from this position.
Another handle arrangement with an encircling band as shown in Canadian Pat. No. 969,899 issued June 24, 1975 to Klygis. This patent teaches the use of a strap handle and encircling band that is received snugly underneath the upper rim of a can. The complete handle structure is cut from a flat sheet. However when the handle of this patent is lifted the point of transfer of forces from the handle to the band is at the lower most edge of the band which tends to turn the band inside out and lift the handle from the container.
Applicant's earlier Canadian application number 334275 filed Aug. 22, 1979 discloses a handle structure overcoming most of the disadvantages of these prior devices. That application discloses a band having a substantially concave inner face adapted to engage the body of the can along two lines spaced axially of the container to provide areas of stress concentration. In this arrangement the handle member projects from the band and was integrally connected thereto at a pair of dyametrically opposed locations. A flat connecting section substantially in the plane of the circumferencially extending band and positioned adjacent the connection between the band and the handle provides a hinge structure permitting flexture of the handle into operative or carrying position. This device functions very well however when it is desired to ensure that the handle is positioned below the upper surface of the can there is no mechanism to guarantee this positioning.